Home Again
I (Scott) have just returned home to Mozambique. It was below freezing when I left Tulsa, and here in Africa, summer is in full swing. Travel still requires extra planning and consideration with airlines and countries having different COVID restrictions, but it is doable. Lisa will be joining me in the next couple weeks.
It takes time not to just adapt to the climate and time differences, but also to step back into ministry. Accounts need to be updated, often internet or phone services need be reactivate, food staples and refrigerators need to be restocked, and there seems to be a long list of issues that need to be addressed. Apparently, lightning hit the solar power for the house, thus needing repairs. Life is never dull!
Coming home is also a time of reconnecting with our African family. I was so excited to spend my first Sunday back in Inhambane with the church in Guinjata. The simple faith of these people inspires me. Such a joy to worship with them again. It is a small taste of heaven on earth.
Afghan Refugee Outreach
We always want to get involved wherever we find ourselves. With Lisa currently based in Tulsa, we have gotten involved in a local church where a group of interested people has formed to “adopt” several Afghan refugees that have been settled in Tulsa. A couple days before Scott left the States, we opened our home for meal and games to several Afghan families. Three families were invited, and two of them came. We shared a meal and taught them to play BINGO where the winners won prizes. They loved it and got quite competitive in the process. They kept saying, “again, again!”
Wanting to make the most of the evening, we also acted out a drama of the Protocol Son with vocabulary flashcards to help with their English. One of the men translated into their language as Scott narrated the story. It was a good evening and relationships were deepened. When Scott dropped one of the families off at their home, the kids were so cute and gave him a big thumbs up, saying, “Your house good!” Pray for these families that they will come to know the true love of God.
Visited Two Churches in Colorado
One result of the COVID pandemic lockdowns has been an inability to report in person with partnering churches. Churches are organic in nature with an ever changing membership, and the same is true for mission committees. Regular visits to these churches do more than give a verbal reports. They are vital in maintaining relationships. They also are a source of great encouragement to us. I put off my return to Mozambique so we could visit our two partnering churches in Colorado. As the pandemic passes, we look forward to visiting all of our partners in the future.
Family Update
The big family news at this time is birthdays. Mariah turned 23 the end of January, and Gabriel turns 25 the middle of this month. Jayden too will celebrate turning 21 in April. How have our kids gotten so grown up? We are blessed that our kids are doing so well. Both Lisa’s mom and Scott’s mom will also celebrate birthdays, and we are thankful they are part of our lives.
Lisa continues to care for her mother in Tulsa, while writing full time and sining on the worship team at church. As mentioned, Lisa will be returning to Mozambique for 5 weeks very soon. I will be happy to have her home again, even if for a short while.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support of our ministry!
Scott & Lisa
